Search

By Richard Allison FAILURE of enough producers to register an interest in the proposed fallen stock disposal scheme will leave all livestock businesses paying the full price for carcass disposal. […]

GETTING fertiliser applications right for silage is just as crucial as the speed of harvesting machinery when ensuring a good fermentation. Uneven fertiliser application can lead to variable protein and […]

It's easy to be gloomy about pig and poultry prospects, but this special shows there is still scope for profitability. Edited by Richard Allison, it kicks off with a look […]

A NOVEL method for reliably detecting mastitis more than three days before clinical signs appear should be available for farm use later this year. The system will detect infection based […]

EGGS are set to become even safer following the launch of a new vaccine offering protection against both species of salmonella. Between 1997 and 2000, incidence of salmonella enteritidis outbreaks […]

By Richard Allison SWITCHING to a non-antibiotic growth promoter could actually boost pig performance compared with antibiotic growth promoters, which are due for a complete ban in less than three […]

By Richard Allison MORE than 5% of lambs could suffer the effects of blowfly strike this summer unless flockmasters take preventative measures before shearing, according to one expert. Warm, dry […]

By Richard Allison SELLING up a dairy business and taking up a herd manager's position nearly 200 miles away is a bold move, but it can bring financial security and […]

PIG wasting diseases are costing the EU more than [pounds sterling]0.5b/year, denting European competitiveness in the world market, according to MLC. Speaking at a recent workshop in Brussels, MLC technical […]

By Richard Allison PLENTY of exercise and good nutrition will see stock bulls extend their working life beyond the four-season average, reckons a Suffolk pedigree breeder. Simmental and Charolais bull […]

GRASS weeds in some maize crops may need further treatment, as insufficient moisture means atrazine has struggled to kill them in early-sown crops. Atrazine requires moisture to be effective, says […]

Is your forage output all it should be? Grassland UK had much to offer livestock producers aiming to boost returns from grass as Richard Allison found out REJUVENATING pastures by […]

FORAGE rape alone can provide up to 8t/ha (3.2 acres) of valuable summer livestock grazing, but adding ryegrass extends the season by several weeks. Adding ryegrass in with fodder rape […]

APPLYING slurry on first-cut grass silage aftermath and established maize crops can cut fertiliser costs by up to [pounds sterling]30/ha ([pounds sterling]12/acre). John Morgan of Creedy Associates said improving slurry […]

By Richard Allison THE latest bovine TB statistics show the backlog of tests is slowly shrinking, but there are concerns that maize silage may be responsible for spreading the disease. […]

By Richard Allison PURCHASING dairy farm inputs through a buying group, which has members from Kent to the north-west, can cut input costs by up to pound sterling70/cow/year. Joining a […]

By Richard Allison CHANGEABLE weather is playing havoc with grazing management, leading to surges in grass growth and a high risk of staggers in cattle and sheep. The long-term weather […]

Adopting a novel milk pricing system as used by dairy producers in South Dakota could protect the UK industry from low milk prices. Richard Allison reports from a mission funded […]

CLOSER co-operation between arable and dairy units is helping the US dairy industry survive low prices and comply with strict environmental rules. Most new dairies are intensive with more than […]

A common route to profitable dairying is expanding cows numbers, but success depends on good staff management. Richard Allison reviews the US approach MILKING more than 600 cows though a […]

CANADIAN producers are being driven out of the country by milk quota prices nearing pound sterling9000/cow and tightening environmental rules. Milk quota accounts for more than 80% of the capital […]

Selling up and establishing a dairy herd overseas may offer profit before rent, interest and finance of more than 6p/litre. Richard Allison joined UK and Canadian producers to assess opportunities […]

South Dakota is not the only country seeking milk producers to meet factory demand. Western Australia is also keen for those wanting to set up new units. Richard Allison finds […]

CUTTING the time taken to load the mixer wagon each day by half an hour has proved possible by simplifying the feeding system on a Cheshire farm. Time is valuable […]

Apply six layers of bale wrap instead of four and you'll boost silage quality and cut wastage, as Richard Phipps explained to Richard Allison SELECTING the correct colour of silage […]

PAINKILLERS, similar to those routinely used in human medicine, could help reduce suffering and speed up recovery in pigs with a range of ailments from mastitis to lameness. Lameness and […]

Constantly changing stock identification and recording rules are leaving many producers baffled. This special, edited by Jonathan Long, looks at how to keep on top of the rules and what […]

Will the promise of a 10% higher yield be enough to bring growing fodder beet back into fashion? Richard Allison finds out why one producer has continued growing the crop […]

WHILE grass growth is currently slow, the silage-making season is approaching rapidly, so it is time to check clamps and consider making any necessary repairs. But with concrete repairs taking […]

FEEDING sows fermented liquid feeds in the last two weeks of pregnancy and first three weeks after farrowing greatly reduces the E coli challenge to suckling pigs, according to a […]

STEEPING wheatfeed and sugar beet pulp together can increase the availability of the essential mineral phosphorus in liquid diets for pigs, suggests research at the University of Plymouth's Seale Hayne […]

FEEDING maize silage can increase dry matter intakes of continental cross beef cattle, compared with grass silage, but liveweight gain remains similar, according to research in Northern Ireland Richard Kirkland […]

By Richard Allison RAIN has finally arrived across the UK providing a much needed boost to grass growth, but some fields may be suffering a nitrogen shortage after high losses […]

Research which could help producers improve herd or flock fertility, production and health was presented at last week's British Society of Animal Science conference in York. Richard Allison and Simon […]

BOOSTING protein intakes of ewes around lambing is a cost-effective strategy for controlling worm burden, but its success depends on breed, too. Speaking at the BSAS conference, SAC researcher Jos […]

MILKING late-lactation cows once a day brings substantial labour savings, but concernsover udder health may limit itsapplication. Conrad Ferris of the Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland said labour was […]

A COMMON preservative, widely used in the food industry, offers a cheap solution to rapid spoilage of whole-crop wheat. Maize and whole-crop forages often undergo rapid spoilage when fed to […]

A NEW system for assessing hoof strength could help select heifers which are less likely to become lame during their first lactation. "Over the last six years, lameness incidence has […]

FEEDING high-performance piglets a supplement containing vitamin C proved it could increase pre-weaning growth rates on a college unit. It was widely believed that piglets received adequate vitamin C from […]

By Richard Allison CATTLE belching out methane are a major source of greenhouse gas, but a simple increase in animal productivity could cut emissions by 40%. The Irish government aimed […]

Many argue that concentrates have a crucial role in profitable milk production, but one Somerset producer is seeing the rewards of feeding less than 100kg/cow a year . Richard Allison […]

By Richard Allison IMPROVING hygiene inside and outside the parlour has halved mastitis incidence in a Welsh herd, with most of the reduction attributed to dipping clusters in disinfectant between […]

Selecting the best components from a number of milking machine manufacturers means a Dorset couple have got exactly the parlour they want. Richard Allison asks why they didn't choose an […]

BENCHMARKING is a popular tool helping producers cut milk production costs, but it requires careful interpretation to maximise profitability. AI costs in Kingshay recorded herds show an average of pound […]

INTRODUCING heifers to the milking parlour before calving cuts stress and somatic cell counts, but increases days to conception by 20 more than for heifers not parlour trained. During the […]

The first day of this year's British Society of Animal Science conference offered important messages for beef, sheep, milk and pig producers. Richard Allison and Simon Wragg report FINISHING bulls, […]

By Richard Allison HIGH milk yields often lead to shorter cow lifespans, but the management policy of one West Sussex 10,000-litre herd means 15% of the cows are more than […]

FINISHING pigs at heavier weights can cut production costs, but these benefits are easily lost with penalties for over-fat carcasses. Pigs in the UK are typically 10-15kg lighter than animals […]

MILK producers who know their herd's current mastitis incidence are in a minority, but using the data to tackle mastitis can help cut cases and improve revenue by 0.9p/litre. This […]

WITH fertiliser and slurry applications well under way on most units, it is now vital to record the right things to comply with Nitrate Vulnerable Zone rules. Recording is essential […]